(c) Justin Walley & morethanagame.info 2011

The atmosphere; the stadium; the football were all superb for the Copa America final.I thought Uruguay played the best football of the tournament in the first half. Luis Suarez was simply world class, the defence rock solid, and the midfield dominant and unforgiving in the tackle, almost like a cultured version of the famous Leeds United side of the 1970s.

Uruguay sat back after the break and let the Paraguayans come at them, and it took a brilliant save from their excellent young keeper, Fernando Muslera, to stop Paraguay from getting back in the game.

It was fitting, perhaps, that the inspirational Diego Forlan should score Uruguay's third at the death, beating arguably the player of the tournament, Justo Villar, in the Paraguayan net to send the tens of thousands of travelling Uruguayan fans into raptures.

A fantastic atmosphere at the first semi final of the Copa America on Tuesday night as a large contingent of fans from both Uruguay and Peru created the best two-sided support in the tournament to date, singing their hearts out and really adding to the expectation in La Plata.Peru played well in the early exchanges and were unlucky not to take the lead. In fact, their star man Vargas was looking like the best player on the park until Peru began to gift possession after the half hour mark and a Uruguay victory started to look increasingly inevitable.It's like good cop, bad cop in the Uruguayan front line with Diego Forlan forever cool, calm and collected, while his strike partner Luis Suarez spends as much time thumping the turf in frustration and arguing with the ref as he does actually doing the things he is really very good at, namely scoring goals. Indeed, in the second half Suarez cut out most of the childish rants and knocked in both of the Uruguayan goals, thanks in no small part to his partner in crime, Forlan.

It was noticeable that a lot of European journalists have suddenly begun to appear in Argentina for the final stages; two weeks ago members of the written press from Europe numbered barely a dozen.I was sat at the La Plata match with a press representative from Hungary and Denmark's only accredited journalist at the tournament. Many high profile press people seem to have booked up for the semi finals and final expecting to watch the likes of Brasil and Argentina. You've got to laugh really.

It was 2am by the time we were back in Buenos Aires. Thankfully, German Andy saved me from the horrors of the flooded refugee hostel and put me up at his flat. Four hours of sleep later it was down to the international ferry terminal by taxi for the 8am catamaran to Uruguay, where More Than A Game is enjoying a brief break from the Copa America for three days before this weekend's final.

It is fair to say that the boat was packed out with some very happy Uruguayans on their way home after their team's 2-0 semi final win, many of whom will be making the 50 kilometre return trip across the muddy waters of the River Plate once again this weekend.

(c) Justin Walley & morethanagame.info 2011

Estonia finished their South American tour with a comprehensive defeat against Uruguay, just a week before the start of the Copa America. Most Estonians will have missed the match with its citizens on holiday celebrating midsummer.The goals are below:

15 players currently plying their trade in the English Premier League will turn out for their national teams at the Copa America. The most famous names include Antonio Valencia, Carlos Tevez, Luis Suarez and Roque Santa Cruz.Argentina are currently favourites to win the tournament with the bookies, with the reigning champions Brazil second favourites.